Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-24

| quence which Zullis sometimes indulge in,
| and which to my mind. full as they are OF
| vain repetitions, show that the race is by no
means devoid of a sort of intellectual power
What is life? Tell me, OH white men,
| who are wise, who knows the secret of the
world that lies above and around the stars
| who flash their words from afar without a
| voice; tell me, white men, the secret of our
| life-whither it goes and whence it comesI
'Ye cannot answer; We know not. Listen,
| will answer. Out of the dark we came, in
| to the dark we go. Like a storm-driyen bird
| at night we fly out of the Nowhere; for a
moment our wings are seen in the light Of
| the fire, and 10! we are gone again into the
| Nowhere. Life is nothing. Life is all. 1t
is as the glow-worm that shines in the night
time and is black in the morning; it is as the
| white breath of the oxen in the winter; it is
as the little shadow that runs across the
grass and loses itself at sunset. I have
spoken"
You are a strange man." said Sir Henry.
Umbopa laughed "It seems to me that
we are much alike, Incubu. Perhaps L seek
brother over the mountains" looked at
L
asked; ''what do you know of the noun
tains?"
"a little; very little. There is a strange
land there, land of witchcraft and beauti-
full things; land of brave people, and Of
trees, and streams, and white mountains,
and of a great white road. 1 have heard of
it. But what is the good Of talking? it
grows dark. Those who live to see, will
| see"
Again / looked at him doubtfully The
man knew too much.
I'VE need not fear me, Macumazahn," he
said, interpreting my look. Il dig no holes
for We to fall in. l make no plots. II ever
we cross those mountains behind the sun. I
will tell what L know. But Death sits upon
them. Be wise and turn back. Go and hunt
elephant. l have spoken"
And without another word he lifted his
spear in salutation, and turned toward the
camp, where shortly afterward we found
him cleaning gun like any other Katir
That is an Owl man." said Sir Henry.
Yes" answered l. too odd by half. |
don't like his little ways. He knows some
thing and won't spit it out But | suppose
it is no use quarreling with him. We are in
for a curious trip, and a mysterious Zulu
Dther."
Next day We made our arrangements for
starting. Of course it was impossible to
drag our heavy elephant rifles and other kit
with us across the desert, 50 dismissing our
bearers we made ali arrangements with an
Old native who had kraaI close By to take
care OF them until we returned It went to
my heart 20 leave such things as those sweet
tools to the tender mercies of an old thief of
a savage whose greedy eyes [ could see
gloatlng over them. But I took some pre-
cautions.
First Of all | loaded all the rifles, and in
formed him that if he touched them they
would go Off. He instantly tried the expert
ment with my eight-bore, and it Gid go eff,
and blew hole right through one of his
oxen, which were then being driven up to
the kraal, to say nothing Of knocking him
mead over heels with the recoil. Re got up
considerably startled, and not at all pleased
at the loss OF an OK, which he had the impu-
dence to ask me to pay for, and nothing
would induce him to touch them again.
Put the live devils up there in the thatch,"
he said, "out Of the way, or they will kill lis
ALL"
Then | told him that if, when we came
back, one of those things was missing
would kill him and all his people by witch |
craft; and it we died and he tried to steal
the things would come and haunt him and
turn his cattle mad and his milk sour till life
was WEAKNESS, and make the devils in the |
guns come out and talk to him in a way he |
would not like, and generally give him
good idea of Judgment to come. After that |
he sWore he would look after them as though
they were his fathers spirit. He was very
al fro will
Having thus disposed of our superfuous |
gear we arranged the kit we five-Sif Henry, |
Good, myself, Umbopa, and the Hottentot
Ventyogel-were to take with us on oul
journey. 1t was small enough, but do what
we would we could not get it down under
about forty pounds man. This is what il
consisted of:
The three express rifles and two hundred |
rounds Of ammunition.
The two Winchester repeating rifles (foI
Umbopa and VentvogeD, with two hundred
rounds of cartridge
Three Colt revolvers and sixty round o.
cartridge.
Five Cochrane's water-bottles, each hold
ing four pintS.
Five blankets.
Twenty-Five pounds weight of bltong
(sun-dried game fesh).
Ten pounds weight of best mixed beads
for gifts.
A selection of medicine, including an
ounce Of quinine, and one or two small sur.
gical E.==tt-aments.
Our knives a few sundriesy such as a com
pass, matches, a pocket filter, tobacco,
trOWel bottle Of brandy, and the clothes
we stood in.
This was our total equipment, a small one
indeed for such venture, but we dared not |
attempt to carry any more. AS it was, that |
load was heavy one per man to travel |
across the burning desert with, for in such I
places every additional ounce tells upon one. |
But try as we would we could not see our |
way to reducing it. There was nothing bat |
what was absolutely necessary.
With great difficulty, and by the promise |
of present of a good hunting-knlfe each, L |
succeeded in persuading three wretched |
natives from the village to come with us for |
the first stage, twenty miles, and to carry |
each large gourd holding gallon Of wa
ter NV object was to enable rs To refill orr |